Dynamics of mid-channel bars in the Middle Vistula River in response to ferry crossing abutment construction
Anna Sosnowska
The investigation focused on the non-migrating mid-channel bars that emerged in the river channel as a consequence of river engineering. A reach of around 280 km of Middle Vistula River (Poland) was taken into account as the study site. The most vivid examples of the river engineering works potentially influencing the river channel are the ferry crossings. Along the Middle Vistula River reach, there are 17 ferry crossings that were constructed from 1970s to 1990s. A cartographic analysis was carried out to determine the influence of the ferry crossing construction over the river channel. It was performed on the basis of aerial photographs (traditional aerial photography and UAV photography). In 3 out of 17 potential localizations, the emergence of large non-migrating mid-channel bars was observed. A study of cartographic materials (from 1950s to 2000s) allowed determination of the dynamics of those bars, including time of emergence and the changes of their size.